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Open-Ended Responses

ILS 575 Instructional Design

Spring 2012

Melissa Lopes

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Melissa LopesILS 575 S70 Instructional DesignSpring 2012Open-Ended Responses

Table of ContentsSection I: Intent Statement..........................................................................................................................6

Instructional Topic:..................................................................................................................................6

Intended Setting:.....................................................................................................................................6

Target Audience:.....................................................................................................................................6

Major Features:.......................................................................................................................................7

Supporting Details:..................................................................................................................................7

Section II: Analysis of Needs and Goals.......................................................................................................9

Introduction:............................................................................................................................................9

Problem Identification:............................................................................................................................9

Problem Analysis:....................................................................................................................................9

Problem Solution...................................................................................................................................11

Articulated and Prioritized Goals...........................................................................................................13

Section III: Task Analysis............................................................................................................................14

Background:...........................................................................................................................................14

Learning Goal:........................................................................................................................................14

Subject-Matter Expert (SME):................................................................................................................14

Task Inventory:......................................................................................................................................15

Pre-requisite Skills:................................................................................................................................17

Task Selection........................................................................................................................................17

Task Decomposition and Description:...................................................................................................18

Task Sequence:......................................................................................................................................20

Flowchart:..............................................................................................................................................21

Classification of Learning Outcomes:.....................................................................................................21

Section IV: Analysis of Learners and Contexts...........................................................................................22

Sources:.................................................................................................................................................22

Learners’ General Characteristics:.........................................................................................................22

The Learners and the Middle school..................................................................................................22

The Learners in Their Town...............................................................................................................23

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Entry Level Skills:...................................................................................................................................24

Pre-requisite skills:.............................................................................................................................24

Prior Demonstration of Learning:......................................................................................................24

Learning Styles:......................................................................................................................................25

Motivation:............................................................................................................................................26

Learning and Performance Environments:............................................................................................26

Appendix C : Benchmark Results...................................................................................................29

Appendix D: Student Samples........................................................................................................31

Appendix E: Interview Questions...................................................................................................33

Appendix F: Learning Style Inventory............................................................................................34

Section V: Performance Objectives...........................................................................................................37

Instructional Goal:.................................................................................................................................37

Terminal Objective:...............................................................................................................................37

Tasks 1-3................................................................................................................................................37

Enabling Objectives:......................................................................................................................37

Tasks 4 & 5:............................................................................................................................................38

Enabling Objectives.......................................................................................................................38

Task 6:....................................................................................................................................................38

Enabling Objectives:......................................................................................................................38

Task 7:....................................................................................................................................................38

Enabling Objectives.......................................................................................................................38

Section VI: Performance Measurement.....................................................................................................39

Pretest Assessment:..............................................................................................................................39

Embedded Assessment:.........................................................................................................................40

Open-Ended Individual Components.............................................................................................40

Post-test Assessment:............................................................................................................................40

Instructional Project Assessment:.........................................................................................................40

Pre and Post-Test Assessment Rubric............................................................................................42

Embedded Assessments................................................................................................................43

Section VII: Instructional Strategy.............................................................................................................51

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Pre-test:.................................................................................................................................................51

Pre-Instructional Activity/ Informing the Learner of the Objectives:.....................................................51

Student Groupings:................................................................................................................................52

Information Presentation, Learner Participation, Media and Delivery Systems and Embedded Assessments:.........................................................................................................................................52

Enabling Objective for Tasks 1-3:.......................................................................................................53

Enabling Objective for Tasks 4 - 6:.....................................................................................................54

Mini-lesson: Text evidence, Text referencing. C=Cite Evidence.....................................................54

Independent Practice:...................................................................................................................55

Feedback:......................................................................................................................................55

Enabling Objective for Task 7:...........................................................................................................55

Mini-lesson: Explain how text evidence supports answer. E=Explain............................................55


Feedback:......................................................................................................................................56

Terminal Objective:...........................................................................................................................56

Mini-Lesson: Putting it all together. R.A.C.E.S................................................................................56


Feedback........................................................................................................................................56

Instructional Goal:.............................................................................................................................56

Post Test:.......................................................................................................................................57

Feedback:......................................................................................................................................57

Post-Test:...........................................................................................................................................57

Lesson Evaluation Survey...................................................................................................................57

Follow-up Activities:..........................................................................................................................57

Section IX: Formative Evaluation...............................................................................................................58

Subject Matter Expert (SME):................................................................................................................58

Learner Evaluations...............................................................................................................................60

Revision Analysis Chart..........................................................................................................................63

Section X: Revision of Instructional Materials...........................................................................................65

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Section I: Intent Statement

Instructional Topic: The focus of my instructional design project is on how to answer an open-ended question

using textual evidence related to a text reading. The focus for this lesson is on how to structure a

written response. The goal is to teach the students the basic idea and method of analyzing and

critically examining a text for supporting evidence. The goal is also to teach them the structure

of a short answer response that can be then carried over to future grades to scaffold on.

Intended Setting: The intended setting of this topic is a fifth grade language arts class in East Windsor.

East Windsor’s middle school starts with the fifth grade. The school has chosen writing as its

focus of instruction. The school is trying to create a simplified process and structure every

student will be able to learn and use to properly respond to open-ended questions. The structure

will then be used throughout the building and various grades and content areas to one extent or

another. By focusing on the fifth grade, we will be developing the baseline structure that will be

used in future lessons and instruction.

Target Audience:The intended audience for this lesson is the fifth grade language arts classes. Again, by

starting with the fifth graders, we will be setting the groundwork for future lessons and

instruction.

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Major Features:Future related concepts include: identifying, analyzing and choosing the best and most

important supportive information from the text; citation of text support; explaining the

significance of the text chosen in relation to the answer given; finesse and fluency of sentences

and vocabulary. In addition, future grades will expand on the structure and heighten their

expectations to include more than one piece of supportive evidence.

Supporting Details:The instructional focus addresses several of the new Common Core State Standards.

RL.5.1. Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.5.1. Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

W.5.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Although these are fifth grade standards, the Common Core continues to develop these

skills and concepts throughout the upper grades. The higher the grade, the more detail and

specificity is needed in the response. However, the basic structure will still apply.

In order to determine whether or not instruction for this process and structure was already

available, an investigation of educational resources was conducted. The investigation began with

the Internet as our school does not use language arts textbooks. The Internet searches began with

various educational sites such as Scholastic, edhelper, ReadWriteThink, educationworld, and

lessonplanspage.com. The investigation then turned to a basic Google search. The results that

came back did include outlines and guidelines for answering open-ended questions. However,

the results that were returned did not show how the guidelines and structures could be used to

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scaffold and expand the open-ended responses in future grades. Part of the instructional design

project is to not only teach the students a structure but teach them a structure that will be used in

future grades and various subjects. It will now be part of the instructor’s job to utilize the

available structures in order to form distinct guidelines to be adopted by the East Windsor middle

school.

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Section II: Analysis of Needs and Goals

Introduction: A needs analysis is being conducted for the 5th grade students at East Windsor Middle

school. There are currently 106 students with five regular education teachers and one special

education teacher on the team. There are two language arts teachers and one teacher for the

following content areas: math, science, and social studies.

The district recently administered their mid-year benchmark assessments. Comparing the

data received from the mid-year to the data obtained from the start of year assessment, the

teachers had hoped to see an improvement in the scores both overall and, specifically, with the

open-ended responses. Unfortunately, after reviewing the new data, that was not the case.

Problem Identification: Overall the 5th grade students at East Windsor Middle school are not scoring at the

proficient or higher range in the area of open-ended responses. Teachers on the 5th grade team do

not have a specific and concrete set of expectations and guidelines for how students should

respond to an open-ended question. The students do not know what information should be

included in the response and in what basic order the information should be written.

Problem Analysis: Currently the 5th grade is made up of 106 students. Of those students, 68 scored

proficient or lower on the start of the 5th grade benchmark assessment. After further

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examination, it was found that 60 students earned proficient or lower specifically on the strand C

questions. All strand C questions, making reader text connections, are open-ended questions.

The usual instruction was provided by the teachers on the 5th grade team between

September and early December. The mid-year benchmark assessments were given in mid-

December. The data showed that 64 students earned an overall score of proficient or lower.

Specifically on the strand C, open-ended questions, 58 students earned proficient or lower.

This data showed that there had been little to no growth in the area of open-ended

responses. This prompted the need to examine what units of instruction had been given by the

various teachers within the 5th grade.

We then went back and examined the start of the year’s benchmark assessment and

compared the overall scores and the specific scores of the open-ended response to the one taken

mid-year. The expected outcome was that there would be improvement. This did not happen.

We then went to the teachers and the classrooms and examined what type of instruction,

expectations, and guidelines for answering open-ended questions were being used in each of the

content area classes.

The 5th grade teachers recognized that the students had significantly different

expectations in the elementary school. They have also recognized that there exists a learning

curve between the elementary setting, being in a contained classroom with one teacher, and the

middle school, wherein students now move between content area rooms and teachers. The 5th

grade teachers also recognize there is a difference of understanding and expectations as to what

students should be providing in a response to an open-ended question even amongst the team

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members within the 5th grade. This discussion and analysis of instruction and expectation showed

that there was a lack of consistency amongst the different content areas or amongst the different

teachers. This seemed to be one specific root cause for the students’ lack of understanding.

We then examined the open-ended responses more closely to really assess what the

students were turning in. We needed to see if they their lack of success was due to the actual

writing of the response or if it was a comprehension issue rooted in the passage or given story.

What we saw was the students understood the question. They were able to provide a basic,

cursory answer to the questions posed to them. They did not go back into the text, however, to

locate specific details or sections they were using in their response, and, most importantly, they

were not explaining their answers or their thinking. What their responses boiled down to was a

cursory mention of the text and a generic answer.

So the issue that was perceived was two-fold. One, the students needed to be taught how

to express their ideas in connection to the passage read. And two, there needed to be an

organized and structured method taught to the students so they know the order in which their

ideas should be presented. An organized, fluent, and structured approach to the response needed

to be taught first. This would allow them an understanding of what was needed and a way to

assess if things were missing in their response.

Problem SolutionThe following are possible solutions to the problem:

Continue on as we have been

Have each content area teacher develop their own guidelines

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Stop open-ended instruction all together and move on to another skill

Find a structure that will fit all content areas

Disregard structure and instruct students in citing evidence

Disregard structure and instruct students how to explain their ideas more fully

Instruct the students in structure alone

Overall the 5th grade team sees the need to create a basic structure to be taught to the

students in all content areas. A structure that fits all of the content areas will have to be found.

Instruction must also be given to the students so they will understand and be able to follow and

use the structure when answering open-ended questions.

Even though the issue seems simple enough to just provide the students with a basic

structure, it will take instructional time to teach the students what each of the components is and

why the response is structured a particular way. The guidelines being given need to be ingrained

and internalized by the students, and, therefore, time needs to be given to let them learn the

process and procedures.

Once a basic structure is developed, taught, and understood by the students, then we can

move onto the content of the response including, text support, explanations of thinking, and

specific detailing. If the students don’t understand how to structure the information it wouldn’t

matter how deep and meaningful the information included in the response was. It wouldn’t be

understood by the reader and would be useless.

Articulated and Prioritized Goals1. Locate different open-ended response models.

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2. Assess which models will work best across all content areas.

3. Choose a few models to try with students in order to find one that will work best with not

only content area teachers and instructional content, but with the students who will be

using the structure.

4. Assess the best way to breakdown instruction for the students.

5. Evaluate structure based on student understanding and student ability to use structure.

6. Instruct students how to choose appropriate text supports.

7. Instruct students on how to fully elaborate and express their ideas and reasons.

Fifth grade students will be able to structure and effectively respond to an open-ended

response by including specific, supportive text evidence and fully elaborated reasoning and

explanations of thinking.

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Section III: Task Analysis

Background:To meet the needs of our fifth grade students, the fifth grade team decided to develop an

instructional process for open-ended responses to be used across all content area classrooms.

After conducting a Needs Assessment, it was apparent that instruction was the next logical and

most useful step in correcting the issues with the fifth grade students. Based on the Needs

Assessment, the team also developed a goal for their learners and a list of pre-requisite tasks that

needed to be conducted before instruction could begin. In the next phase, Task Analysis, the

goal of the instruction will need to be analyzed to determine what skills and/or concepts need to

be included in the instruction.

Learning Goal:The Instructional Goal to be analyzed is stated as follows:

Fifth grade students will be able to structure and effectively respond to an open-ended response

by including specific, supportive text evidence and fully elaborative reasoning and explanations

of thinking.

Subject-Matter Expert (SME):Melissa Lopes, the instructional designer, has been teaching English/Language Arts in

the East Windsor Middle school for twelve years. She has also been the 7th and 8th grade ELA

Professional Learning Community (PLC) leader for the last five years. Although she has not

taught fifth grade, she is familiar with open-ended questions and the process and structure used

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in both the seventh and eighth grades. The 7th/8th grade PLC team, overseen by Melissa, has

created a procedure and structure that works well in the upper grades. They were able to create a

model that easily lends itself to scaffolding between the 7th and the 8th grade. She is a huge

proponent of the reading and writing workshops that have been adopted by the district for ELA

instruction. Her expertise in ELA and the writing process and instruction, as well as her

contributions in the development of a working model for open-ended responses, makes her an

appropriate choice for Subject-Matter Expert.

However, since she is also designing the instruction, she felt that a neutral expert should

also be brought into the analysis: Peg Zagorski. Peg is the interim Literacy Coach at the middle

school. She has 30 years of experience teaching various content areas and grade levels

throughout the middle and elementary schools. She was also the Lead Teacher for numerous

years. Her expertise in content area instruction, as well as her knowledge of the grade level,

makes her an appropriate addition to the Subject-Matter Experts.

Task Inventory:The ultimate goal of the instruction falls into the cognitive domain of learning. The

students will be able to effectively choose and elaborate on appropriate text evidence, while

elaborating and supporting their own ideas and answers. However, the instruction will begin

being given at a very elementary level. The students are struggling with how to appropriately

structure their answers and therefore our instruction will begin at the structural level. This way,

the inexperienced writers will be able to gain an understanding of what elements need to be

included in an open-ended response and in what order these elements should be articulated.

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Since the open-ended structure the team is hoping to create will be used across all content

areas, the Instructional Designer (ID) began her analysis and evaluation by asking each of the

content area teachers to answer one of their own open-ended questions. As each of the team

members went through the process, the ID observed and recorded the steps taken. The team

members were then asked to switch content area questions. A second teacher was then observed

answering a different content area question.

The ID then took each of the subject area responses and compared the procedures

recorded first to the other responses within the same content. The responses were then compared

to those in the other content areas. Ultimately, the results showed a similar procedure was used

in each of the content areas. The results are as follows:

1. Read text passage.

2. Read question.

3. Restated the question in statement form.

4. Scanned for answer.

5. Wrote answer.

6. Found text support.

7. Evaluated if text support is the best support available.

8. Wrote text support with reference to where it was taken from.

9. Wrote explanation of how the text evidence supported their original answer.

10. Re-read answer.

11. Edited and revised any portion that did not fit, flow, or make sense.

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Pre-requisite Skills:The instructional design specifically targets the teaching of structure, support, and

elaboration of the question’s answer. Therefore, steps 1 and 2, the reading of the text and the

question, will be considered pre-requisite skills. The learner would naturally have to perform

these steps in order to proceed to the answer portion.

1. Read and understand the text.

2. Read and understand the question.

Task SelectionThe following steps were selected from the inventory as being in need of instruction in

order for the goal to be met by the learners:

1. Restate the question in statement form.

2. Scan for answer.

3. Write answer to the question.

4. Find text support.

5. Evaluate if text support is the best support available.

6. Write text support with reference to where it was taken from.

7. Write explanation of how the text evidence supported their original answer.

8. Re-read answer.

9. Edit and Revise any portion that did not fit, flow, or make sense.

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Task Decomposition and Description: Some of the tasks contained within the task decomposition are skills that the learners

need to come with prior to being instructed in open-ended response writing. Those skills will be

indicated as pre-requisites and italicized for ease of understanding, i.e. pre-requisite learning.


1.1. Read, analyze, and determine what the question is asking.

1.2. Recognize the structure of a statement as opposed to a question.

1.3. Understand the grammatical and punctuation rules that govern

sentence writing.

2. Write your answer.

2.1. Add the answer to the restated question/statement. This way you will

have a Complete Restated Sentence in the form of a”Because” statement that

includes the Answer.

2.2. Use knowledge from the text to form an opinion as to the correct answer.

2.3. Skim and scan to find answer if it is not known.

2.3.1. Understand the meaning of skim and scan.

3. Locate text support.

3.1. Skim and scan.

3.1.1 Understand the meaning of skim and scan.


4.1. Understand the meaning of the word ‘evaluate.’

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4.2. Be able to make decisions on whether the text support chosen is the best choice.


5.1. Understand the grammatical and punctuation rules that govern sentence

writing.

5.2. Use reference information as to where the text support originated in the

text.

5.3. Be able to decide whether to use a direct quote or to paraphrase the

evidence.

5.3.1. Know how to cite with quotation marks.

5.3.2. Know how to paraphrase information so it is written in own words

while maintaining meaning.


6.1. Make decisions on how text support helped to explain and support your original

answer.

6.2. Understand the grammatical and punctuation rules that govern sentence writing.

6.3. Understand sentence structure.

7. Re-read answer.

7.1. Know how to read.

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7.2. Know how to judge and evaluate if answer has been properly structured and

includes all necessary supports and details.


8.1Understand what editing and revising are.

8.2 Be able to determine what needs to be changed either within the content of the

answer or the grammar, punctuation, or written portion of the answer.

Task Sequence:The following represents the main task sequence the learners will follow in order to reach the

goal of the instruction. Prior to the lesson, learners will need to have read the text and the

question that we will be answering.

1. Read text passage.

2. Read question.


4. Scan for answer.

5. Write answer.

6. Find text support.




10. Re-read answer.

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Flowchart:See flowchart documents for a basic flowchart and an extended flowchart for the instructional

design.

Classification of Learning Outcomes:The goal of the instructional design is as follows:

Fifth grade students will be able to structure and effectively respond to an open-ended response

by including specific, supportive text evidence and fully elaborative reasoning and explanations

of thinking.

Using the basic three types of learning domains: Cognitive, Motor skills, and Affective,

the goal statement would be classified within the Cognitive Domain. In order to achieve the

goal, the learner will need to formulate an answer, recall and evaluate information, apply rules of

structure and citation, and explain personal thinking. Although some motor skills and affective

decision making are needed in order to write the response, the design and instruction are centered

on the learners’ cognitive abilities and processes.

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Section IV: Analysis of Learners and Contexts

Sources:1. East Windsor demographical data

2. Learner observations

3. On-Site Visits (4 visits were made)

4. Benchmark assessments (see appendix C)

5. Student writing samples from benchmark (see appendix D)

6. Teacher and Student Interviews (see appendix E)

7. Learning style inventory (see appendix F)

Learners’ General Characteristics:

The Learners and the Middle schoolThe learners for this instructional design project are currently half way through their fifth

grade year, which is the first grade in the middle school. The learners range in age from 10 to 11

years old. There are currently 106 students spread between two language arts teachers. Each

language arts teacher teaches two 96 minute double block classes and one 48 minute single block

class. The students in the single block attend READ180 with one of the two ELA teachers and

then attend an intervention writing class with the other ELA teacher. The double blocks are

heterogeneously grouped with special education students being split between two of the four

double blocks.

The learners have come from an elementary school that uses Responsive Classroom

techniques for discipline. This has made discipline and classroom structure very difficult. The

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students have tended to be overly active and it has taken a great deal of time to establish basic

routines within the classroom environments. The need to start from scratch and build a

foundation of understanding of how the learning environment will run has taken away

instructional time and put the students behind in their educational progress.

In addition, the students have entered the 5th grade with no basic knowledge of the

structure of writing, particularly for these types of response for open-ended questions. Students

have been taught to state their ideas, but not support their answers with evidence. This was a

new learning structure for the students.

According to a recent eRate survey that was conducted within the school, the

middle school population currently has approximately 50% of its students qualifying for free and

reduced lunch. The school has around 24% of its population as minorities including American

Indian, Asian American, black, and Hispanic, with the largest minority group being black with

12.3% of the students (State Department of Education). The fifth grade itself is approximately

37% minority.

The Learners in Their TownThe town of East Windsor is made up of five unique villages which cover 26.3 square

miles. The population in these areas is approximately 11,000 people. The area is considered to

be a mix of urban and rural, making it a unique environment. 35% of town citizens rent their

homes. The estimated median household income for white non-Hispanic householders, as of

2009, was $65,026. “Figures from the 2009 census indicated that 3.5% of the town's families fell

below the federal poverty level”(New England Association of Schools and Colleges). The

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majority of adults living in town have not achieved an education higher than a high school

diploma or the equivalent (CT Connecticut Houses).

Entry Level Skills:

Pre-requisite skills:Prior to starting instruction on open-ended responses, the learners will need to have a few

basic pre-requisite skills in order for learning to occur. First and foremost, the learners need to

be able to read at or near grade level. More advanced reading skills will obviously be fine, but if

students are greatly deficient in their reading skills they will have a difficult time accessing the

information from the text. Struggling readers will also have a difficult time decoding the

question that is being posed to them. Accommodations can be made to assist these learners,

however, that would be outside of the instructional design project.

Other pre-requisites include understanding basic sentence structure, spelling and

grammatical rules, and general punctuation guidelines.

Fifth grade learners need to be able to: read at or near grade level; understand basic

sentence structure; and understand and follow basic grammar, punctuation, spelling rules.

Prior Demonstration of Learning:Previous experiences with responding to open-ended questions have been very informal.

Learners have shown that they can provide an answer to the question posed, but they cannot then

explain and elaborate on their answers. In addition, when asked to provide specific evidence

from the text to support and illustrate their answers, they grab the first example they see. They

do not review the text in order to find the best supportive evidence.

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Learners have also had a difficult time structuring their responses. Fluency and

transitions have been a struggle for most learners. Their sample writings (appendix D) and their

scores taken from the benchmark assessments given in September and December (appendix C)

illustrate how cursory and basic the responses have been. Their lack of depth and development

are apparent.

Learning Styles:As is the case in most classrooms, the learning styles presented by the students varied.

The majority of the students showed a tendency towards both visual and kinesthetic learning.

The majority of the learners were able to grasp new concepts and retain the skills taught if they

were first shown visually and then allowed to practice. This may be a learned tendency as the

district uses the workshop model of instruction in the ELA and math classrooms. In addition,

most students expressed the desire to work in groups but also explained that although they

enjoyed working in partners or in groups, they actually learned better when they tried the skills

and strategies on their own and then discussed with another person.

The instructional design project will take advantage of these styles of learning by using

the Smartboard available in the classroom to show PowerPoint presentations and student work

models. Then the basic structure of the workshop model will be used in order to address the

other learning style presented by the students.

The students also showed that they needed to have ideas broken down into smaller parts

and then shown as a whole. They needed to be able to learn one skill in isolation before moving

on to the next building block. This will lend itself to the instructional design project as the

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instructors will be breaking down the open-ended response format and expectations into

reasonable and manageable parts seeing as this will be their first experience with the instruction.

Motivation:The students in the class seem to be motivated to learn. When asked what motivated

them, most of them said their parents. Others indicated that they were motivated by their grades.

They knew what their test scores were on the benchmarks and other assessments and they

enjoyed seeing if they could improve. Still others said they weren’t really motivated and that

they, “hated writing” because it “was too much work.”

Most of the students did say that their language arts class was their favorite subject, but it

was because of the teachers. They enjoyed being in class with the teachers because they “are

cool” and “make things fun.”

Learning and Performance Environments:The initial instructional design project will be taking place within one of the language arts

classes. The instructional designer will attend and facilitate the learning process. The language

arts teacher will be available within the classroom to offer assistance to both the designer and the

students.

A normal language arts classroom is run using the workshop model. The class begins

with a mini-lesson centered on a skill, concept, or strategy. Students then go back to their seats

and practice the mini-lesson using their own work. While students work independently, the

teacher meets with small groups of students who have demonstrated a weakness in a particular

area. This way the teacher can differentiate and instruct the students at their level, center the

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learning on areas of need, and the teacher can incorporate different modes of learning to better

match the students’ style of learning.

Students are comfortable with the workshop model and this will make the transitions

between mini-lesson instruction and independent/small group time smooth. Having two teachers

in the room will also be helpful because as one small group is being conducted, the other teacher

is available to assist the remaining students with their independent work.

The small groups will also be a benefit after the initial instruction and practice have been

given. The teacher will be able to form groups based on areas of need specifically associated

with the various aspects of an open-ended response.

The classroom has a Smartboard which will allow the designer to present the instruction

visually. In addition, the designer will also be able to scan student work, project it onto the

screen, and use the work as a teaching model. Students will be able to interact with the model by

writing on the screen.

The instruction given in this particular ELA classroom will then be carried over into the

other ELA classes as well as the other content areas. This way the students will be familiar with

the structure and expectations for responding to open-ended questions in all of their classes. The

overall structure and guidelines taught to the students will also be carried over into the other

grade levels and scaffolded upon. This way the entire school will be aware of and be following

the same structure with similar expectations and similar rubrics. This will ultimately benefit the

students as they will be able to form the groundwork of understanding in 5th grade, and that

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understanding will carry over with them into future grades, making their learning more efficient

and relevant.

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Appendix C : Benchmark ResultsCurrently the 5th grade is made up of 106 students. Of those students, 68 scored

proficient or lower on the start of the 5th grade benchmark assessment. After further

examination, it was found that 60 students earned proficient or lower specifically on the strand C

questions. All strand C questions, making reader text connections, are open-ended questions.

The following are the overall scores received on the September benchmark assessments and the

December benchmark assessments. The assessments tested comprehension by having the

students read two passages and then answer both multiple choice and open-ended responses.

Each passage had 10 multiple choice and 1 open-ended.

September December

Student A Not enrolled Basic

Student B Not enrolled Proficient

Student C Not enrolled Basic

Student D Below Basic Below Basic

Student E Basic Proficient

Student F Basic Below Basic

Student G Basic Below Basic

Student H Below Basic Basic

Student I Proficient Below Basic

Student J Below Basic Basic

Student K Basic Below Basic

Student L Basic Proficient

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Student M Basic Basic

Student N Below Basic Below Basic

Student O Basic Proficient

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Appendix D: Student Samples

The following samples were selected from each of the 5th grade language arts classes. The

samples represent a wide range of learning levels. Each sample is shown as the students wrote

them. The students began by reading a passage about Pilgrims. They were then given an open-

ended question to respond to. The question was as follows: Based on the information in the

passage, discuss why you would or would not have wanted to be a Pilgrim in 1620. Use

information from the passage to support your answer.

Student A: I would not want to be a pilgrim because inside the snowy stormy weather is cold and also they died on the first storm

Student B: i would not whant to be a pilgrim cause they had to start all over when they got to a new country.also there would not be any video games.

Student C: I would not wanted to be a pilgrim in the 1620 because there was no electricity, heat,and we would have to hunt and hurt plants and animals with the supplies around in nature. Another reason that I woundn't want to be a pilgrim is because nearly half of the pilgrims died it could of been family, friends, and there is a good posabilaty that it could have been me. Finally I would not want to be a pilgrim is becauseof the monder weather. For example, violent blizzards along the coast.

Student D: I would not like to be a pilgrim in the 1620 because when they land half of the pilgrims diein the frist winter, little of them know how to farm ,they where on the mayflower for days with bad storms,also they where no tv or video games back then.

Student E: I would not have wanted to be a pilgrim back in teh 1620s because, there was a disese going around that was called the small pox and killed half of the pligrims in the 1620s an di wouldnt want to die also it was hard back then and you couldnt eat or drink barelly because the pilgrims diddint know how to crop so once squanto came it was like a mericle they got to eat and i would wana stay here in 2011 because you dont have to struggle with food or water or diseses anymore. This is why i would not like to be a pilgrim in the 1620s.

Student F: Did not answer.

Student G: Base on this text I don't think I would have ever want to be a pilgrim in the 1620 because i don't know if I would have survied the first winter just like some of them.I said this beacuse in the text it that after a storm-tossed voyage of sixty s-six days, they landed on a clod day in November 1620.With no warm fries to greet them no cozy cottage to shleter them from the cold,bitter wind and there were no crops so that they would be able to get any food.

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Another reason i think I wouldn't want to be a pilgrim in the 1620 is because there was also animals there they have never seen before so they really did not know if that sorted of animal was dangerus are not. In conclusion this why I don't think I wuold ever want to be a pilgrim in those time period.

Student H: i will not have wanted to be a pilgrim in 1620 because it was defcalte to live. i think it is defclat because ther were no food and the pilgrim have plant ther food in order to servive. Which with really hard to servive on thet time. Many people couldnt servive thet time. one because the weather, two becase it with hard to find food. Rigt now ther is food and theweather is perfact and it is easy to servie, but 1620 it was hard to live and it get what i have right now. Thet is way i dont want to be a pilgrim. Because i dont want to die!

Student I: Because I could not live without video games.And I could not deal with the cold harsh winters and I think i would die.

Student J: i would want to be apilgrim in 1620. i said this because in 1921 they had the first thanksgiving. if i was a pilgrum i could've been a importent part in histroy

Student K: i would want o be a pilgrim because, they new how to plant crops and they soled them. some of things they were going to plant is thier own seeds of oats and wheat and barley and peas also corn beans and squash and pumpkins. they also gave them squanto for making a new beging in massachusetts. i would also want to be a pilgrim because lots of them made it though cold nights and no fighers and and had to be in a dark forest and they also had to be out in the cold for winter and lots of them died from the strong snow and the blizardes. and nearly have of the pilgrims died in the being of the winter. and this is why i wold like to be a pilgrim.

Student L: I would not want to be a pilgrim because then i would have to go though alot just to survive. i feel this way beacause in the passage it says that Squanto had to help them to know how to survive and how to find food. i would not like to do that because right now in my life at home im perferctly fine of how im living. so thats why i would want to be a pilgrim.

Student M: Would i want to be a pilgrim? no beause i like my life now and it would be really hard to plant crops with out tractor. Another reason is because maybe i wouldnt fit in to that culture and may not be able to live. In addiction to that THANK YOU PILGRIMS for THANKSGIVING

Student N: i would not what to live in pilgrim style because theyre dressing is terrible and i like it better 2011 better than 1620 beause in 1620 its so different the house the clothes the cars theyre all different and plus theyre were no phones so i would not what to be a pilgrim.

Student O: I would not have wanted to be a Pilgrim in 1620 because they didn't have enough experience from living on an island. In the passage it says that " There was no warm fires, no cozy cottages, or crops " This makes me fell this way because if there was no crops them they had no food and no shelter to stay warm. Also, there was no fire to keep them warm and there was animals that they didn't even know about. Another reason why I wouldn't want to be a Pilgrim in 1620 is that a lot of pilgrims died. In the text it says that " Just about everyone in the village died because of starvation and coldness." Ifell this way because one past experience that I have had was we had a terrible snow storm in November and there was no power. My family had to eat peanut butter and fluff. We also didn't have any heat.

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Appendix E: Interview Questions

Student Interview Questions1. What is your favorite class?

2. Why is that your favorite class?

3. Do you enjoy reading?

4. Would you rather read for pleasure or read to learn?

5. Do you enjoy writing?

6. What do you find the most difficult part of writing?

7. What motivates you to learn and make changes?

Teacher Interview Questions1. Describe the students’ attitudes toward writing.

2. What instruction has been tried in the past in regards to open-ended responses?

3. Do the students accept corrections and actively work to fix the issues?

4. How has the transition between elementary school to middle school been?

5. Describe the different learning styles you see among the students.

6. What words would you use to describe the students and their writing?

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Appendix F: Learning Style Inventory

The following is an online inventory given to the students to help determine their learning styles. It was developed by an Instructional Designer at Pennsylvania State University to be used in middle and high school classrooms.

Instructions: Click on the appropriate button after each statement. After answering all questions, click on the Determine Style button below.

QUESTIONS Seldom Sometimes Often1. Can remember more about a subject through the lecture method with information, explanations and discussion.2. Prefer information to be presented the use of visual aids.3. Like to write things down or to take notes for visual review.4. Prefer to make posters, physical models, or actual practice and some activities in class.5. Require explanations of diagrams, graphs, or visual directions.6. Enjoy working with my hands or making things.7. Am skillful with and enjoy developing and making graphs and charts.8. Can tell if sounds match when presented with pairs of sounds.9. Remember best by writing things down several times.10. Can understand and follow directions on maps.11. Do better at academic subjects by listening to lectures and tapes as opposed to reading a textbook.12. Play with coins or keys in pockets.13. Learn to spell better by repeating the words out loud than by writing the word on papers.

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14. Can better understand a news article by reading about it in the paper than by listening to the radio.15. Chew gum, smoke, or snack during studies.16. Feel the best way to remember is to picture it in your head.17. Learn spelling by tracing the letters with my fingers.18. Would rather listen to a good lecture or speech than read about the same material in a textbook.19. Am good at working and solving jigsaw puzzles and mazes.20. Play with objects in hands during learning period.21. Remember more by listening to the news on the radio rather than reading about it in the newspaper.22. Obtain information on an interesting subject by reading relevant materials.23. Feel very comfortable touching others, hugging, handshaking, etc.24. Follow oral directions better than written ones.

Bixler, Brett. "Learning Style Inventory." Personal Penn State. Pennsylvania State University, 2010. Web.

17 Feb 2012. <http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm>.

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Work Cited

Bixler, Brett. "Learning Style Inventory." Personal Penn State. Pennsylvania State University, 2010. Web.

17 Feb 2012. <http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm>.

"CT (Connecticut) Houses, Apartments, Rent, Mortgage Status, Home and Condo Value Estimator, Cars,

Bedrooms, Owners, Prices, Averages, Residents Info." Stats about All US Cities - Real Estate,

Relocation Info, House Prices, Home Value Estimator, Recent Sales, Cost of Living, Crime, Race,

Income, Photos, Education, Maps, Weather, Houses, Schools, Neighborhoods, and More. Web.

26 Sept. 2011. <http://www.city-data.com/housing/houses- #####-Connecticut.html>.

New England Association of Schools and Colleges. (2009). Report of the Visiting Committee for High

School. Woodman, C. & Saulis, M. Retrieved September 24, 2011, from

http://www.########schools.org/highschool/FinalNEASC.pdf

"State Department of Education - CEDaR." SDE Portal. Web. 26 Sept. 2011.

<http://sdeportal.ct.gov/Ceda/WEB/ResearchandReports/SSPReports.aspx>.

http://www./#

http://www.city-data.com/housing/houses-

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Section V: Performance Objectives

Instructional Goal: After reading a passage, 5th grade English Language Arts students will write a structured and effective response to an open-ended question, which will include specific, supportive text evidence, fully elaborated reasons and explanations of thinking.

Terminal Objective: After reading a pre-selected passage, English Language Arts students will write a structured response to an open-ended question that includes the following: a topic sentence; transition words; specific, supportive text evidence with references to where the evidence was attained; and fully elaborated reasoning and explanation of thinking that explains why they came to that answer and how the text evidence supports the answer they provided.

Tasks 1-31. Restate the question in statement form. 2. Scan for answer.3. Write answer to the question.

Enabling Objectives:1. Given an open-ended response question, ELA students will be able to write a topic

sentence that includes the following: complete restated topic sentence with “because statement” answer.

a. After reading, analyzing and determining what the question is asking, ELA students will use their prior knowledge of sentence structure and grammatical rules to restate the open-ended question in the form of a statement.

b. Using information from the passage and prior knowledge, ELA students will generate an answer to the open-ended question in order to complete the topic sentence.

i. If prior knowledge isn’t enough information to form an answer, ELA students will use prior understanding of skimming and scanning to locate the answer to the open-ended response question so they can generate and provide an answer.

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Tasks 4 & 5:4 Find text support.

5 Evaluate if text support is the best support available.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Given a passage or text, ELA students will be able to skim and scan the passage in order to identify textual evidence that specifically supports and explains the answer given for an open-ended response question.

a. Using a passage or text, ELA students will be able to evaluate selected text evidence to determine whether or not the evidence found best supports and explains their answer to the open-ended question.

Task 6:6 Write text support with reference from where it was taken.

Enabling Objectives:1 Given text evidence from a passage, ELA students will be able to choose whether they

should paraphrase or directly cite the evidence in order to show support for their answer.a. Once the student has decided to either quote or paraphrase, ELA students will use

their understanding of grammatical and punctuation rules to write the text support making sure to reference where the information was attained using proper in text citation rules.

Task 7: 7 Write explanation of how the text evidence supported their original answer.

Enabling Objectives:

1. Given information from a passage and prior knowledge, ELA students will be able to explain how the text evidence both supports and proves the answer given to the open-ended question.

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Section VI: Performance Measurement

Pretest Assessment:As a pretest for this Instructional Design project, the instructional designer had the

students read a passage and answer four open-ended questions. This enabled the designer to first

see there were actual deficiencies and if instruction was the best way to correct these deficiencies

and two. It also enabled the designer to see where each of the learners needed the instruction

most. This way, the students could be broken up into small groups in order to differentiate the

learning process.

The designer felt that a rubric would be the best method of evaluation for two reasons.

Firstly, the rubric broke down each of the individual components or objectives within the

instructional goal. Secondly, the rubric will also give the designer a better understanding of

where the students fall in terms of competency in a particular objective. The designer will be

able to see which objective the student met and to what extent they met it.

The rubric will use a 0-1-2 scoring range. The rubric will be broken into categories that

match the Enabling Objectives.

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Embedded Assessment:

Open-Ended Individual ComponentsAfter instruction is given for each enabling objective, a mini-assessment will be given in

order to monitor progress towards the overall learning goal. Again, a rubric will be used in order

for the designer to monitor the extent of learning. This will allow for future instruction and

differentiation.

In addition to the mini-assessments, there will be quick checks for independent practice

and short practice lessons. Checklists will be used for these lessons.

Post-test Assessment:For the post-test, another passage will be given to the students with four similar open-

ended questions to accompany it. Students will be asked to read, analyze and respond to the

open-ended questions. The assessment of the open-ended responses matches the guidelines

written in the learning goal. Each of the sections within the rubric match the sections in the

terminal objective. The only exception is that grammar, spelling, and sentence structure were

added into the assessment rubric. Again a score of 0-1-2 will be used in the evaluation.

Instructional Project Assessment:For this assessment, a student questionnaire will be given to the students. The

questionnaire will focus on the three main learning objectives presented throughout the lesson.

In addition, students will be asked to assess the various methods used to teach each of the

objectives. The questions will address lesson structure, content of the lesson, instructional

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materials used, and audience appeal. A ranking system will be used in the questionnaire along

with an open comment section for further comment.

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Pre and Post-Test Assessment RubricStudent Name___________________________

Directions for Open-Ended Responses: After reading the passage, write a structured and effective response to each of the open-ended questions. Answers should include specific, supportive text evidence, fully elaborated reasoning and explanation of thinking. Grammar, spelling, and sentence structure should following grade level rules.

0 1 2

Topic Sentence The question is not restated and /or the answer is incorrect.

Either doesn’t restate the question correctly or answer is not the most accurate answer.

It restates the question and provides a deep meaningful answer that is accurate for the question.

Text Evidence Text support does not relate to the answer given.

Text evidence chosen is not the most relevant and specific available within the passage. It does not elaborate on the answer given.

Strong textual evidence is provided. It specifically supports and elaborates on the answer given.

Text Reference There is no reference to the text or evidence of proper text citation.

An attempt at text reference is made but it is done inaccurately. Either the quote is not quoted correctly, reference to passage is not given or paraphrasing is inaccurate.

Text evidence is accurately references either through direct quote or paraphrasing with reference to section of passage.

Explanation There is no evidence of deep thinking. There is no explanation of how the evidence supports their answer.

Explanation of thinking was present but it is simplistic and/or confusing.

There is strong explanation of thinking that goes beyond the obvious. Explanation shows how the text evidence both supports and proves the answer.

Grammar and Structure

Very little if any of the response is grammatically correct and/or follows proper sentence structure. There are numerous spelling errors.

Most of the response is grammatically correct and follows proper sentence structure. There are a few spelling errors.

All portions of the response are grammatically correct and follow proper sentence structure. There are no spelling errors.

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Embedded Assessments

Topic Sentence:Individual work

Student Name_________________________________

Directions: After reading each passage, match the open-ended question with the best topic sentence.

Yes No1. Student scanned the text for appropriate and accurate answer.

2. Student chose the best topic sentence from those available.

____________

____________

___________

___________

Topic Sentence:

Mini-Assessment

Student name_________________________________

Directions: After reading the passage, write a complete restated topic sentence that provides an appropriate answer.

0 1 2Topic Sentence

The question is not restated and /or the answer is incorrect.

Either doesn’t restate the question correctly or answer is not the most accurate answer.

It restates the question and provides a deep meaningful answer that is accurate for the question.





Comments:

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Text –EvidenceIndividual Work

Student name__________________________

Directions: After reading the passage and the question, choose which of the following would make the most supportive text-evidence.

Yes No

1. Student read the passage.

2. Student read the question.

3. Student chose best text-evidence.

_____________

_____________

_____________

____________

____________

___________

Turn and Talk

Student name___________________________

Directions: Turn to your partner and share which evidence you chose as the most supportive. Explain why you chose that evidence. If you have chosen different evidence than your partner, decide which of you is correct.

Yes No1. Student explains which text-evidence they chose.

2. Student listens to partner’s choice.

3. Student explains their choice.

4. Student listens to partner’s explanation.

5. Discussion is had if choices are different.

6. Consensus is met.

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

_____________

Mini-Assessment

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Student name__________________________

Directions: After reading the passage find, use, and reference text evidence that specifically supports and elaborates on the answer to the question. (The answer to the question has been provided for you.)

0 1 2

Text Evidence Text support does not relate to the answer given.

Text evidence chosen is not the most relevant and specific available within the passage. It does not elaborate on the answer given.

Strong textual evidence is provided. It specifically supports and elaborates on the answer given.

Text Reference

There is no reference to the text or evidence of proper text citation.

An attempt at text reference is made but it is done inaccurately. Either the quote is not quoted correctly, reference to passage is not given, or paraphrasing is inaccurate.

Text evidence is accurately references either through direct quote or paraphrasing with reference to section of passage.





Comments:

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Explanation of Text Evidence and AnswerText –Evidence

Individual Work

Student name__________________________

Directions: After reading the passage and the question, choose which of the following best explains and supports the text-evidence in relation to the answer.

Yes No

1. Student read the passage.

2. Student read the question.

3. Student chose best explanation.

_____________

_____________

_____________

____________

____________

___________

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Explanation of Text Evidence and Answer

Mini-Assessment

Student name_______________________________________

Directions: After reading the passage, fully explain how the text evidence provided for you, supports and proves the answer to the question. (Answer and text evidence have been provided for you.)

Explanation There is no evidence of deep thinking. There is no explanation of how the evidence supports their answer.

Explanation of thinking was present but it is simplistic and/or confusing.

There is strong explanation of thinking that goes beyond the obvious. Explanation shows how the text evidence both supports and proves the answer.





Comments:

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Putting It All TogetherColor Code Individual Practice

Student name___________________________

Directions: Using your independent practice, color code each section. Red=topic sentence, Green=text evidence, Blue=explanation.

Yes No1. Student had rewritten topic sentence with “because statement.

2. Student had properly referenced text-evidence.

3. Student provided elaborative explanation and support.

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

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Student Edit: Partner Practice

Student name________________________________

Directions: Label your partner’s open-ended response. Red=topic sentence, Green=text evidence, Blue=explanation.

Critique the response by answering the following questions. Provide a brief explanation for those questions that score a no.

Yes No

1. Student had rewritten topic sentence with “because statement.

2. Student had properly referenced text-evidence.

3. Student provided elaborative explanation and support.

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

____________

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Assessment of InstructionDirections: Your input regarding the instruction on open-ended responses will help us to make the project more effective and informative for other students. Please answer each of the following questions. An area for additional comments is also available for you to expand on your answers. Thank you for your help.

Student Questionnaire: Strongly Agree Strongly Disagree Agree

1. The overall expectation for an open-ended response is grade appropriate. 1 2 3 4 5

2. The passages I had to read were on my reading level. 1 2 3 4 5

3. The instructional methods used kept my attention. 1 2 3 4 5

a. PowerPoint Presentation 1 2 3 4 5

b. Smart Board Interactive 1 2 3 4 5

c. Student Turn & Talk 1 2 3 4 5

d. Color Coding Response Sections 1 2 3 4 5

e. Mix and Match Sections 1 2 3 4 5

f. Teacher Modeling 1 2 3 4 5

g. Student Edits 1 2 3 4 5

4. The instructional materials were clear and easy to follow. 1 2 3 4 5

5. I was given an appropriate amount of time to read and respond. 1 2 3 4 5

Additional Comments: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Section VII: Instructional Strategy

Pre-test:Prior to the instructional lessons, the teacher should give a pre-test that includes open-

ended responses. The students will be given two passages to read, one fiction and one non-

fiction. Each will have two open-ended responses to answer. The pre-test will serve multiple

purposes. First, it will motivate the students by introducing a new unit of study. Second, it will

provide the students with a starting point for what will be asked of them in the future, in terms of

content and skill. Third, it will provide data for the teacher to know which students need work

on which skill and area in open-ended responses. And lastly, by having the students respond to

both fiction and non-fiction, the instructor will be provided data showing which genre needs to

be covered in future lessons and units.

Pre-Instructional Activity/ Informing the Learner of the Objectives: At the start of the instructional unit, the teacher will share the scores and sample

responses with the students. This will inform the learners of where they stand in terms of open-

ended responses. It will also motivate the students to learn the proper structure and content for

an open-ended response in order to improve their understanding and performance.

An exemplar will also be shared with the students and a discussion of what is contained

in the exemplar will take place. This discussion will help to demonstrate and remind students of

any prerequisite skills that might be needed to achieve the learning objectives and learning goals.


During the discussion involving the exemplar, students will be asked to pick out the

components that are included in the response. This will lead the discussion towards the objective

of the instructional unit. The components will be listed on the board. On the Smartboard,

students will then match selected enabling objectives, which have previously been typed in, with

the components of the response. This will take place using an interactive program called

Wallwisher.

Student Groupings:Students will be grouped using the data generated from the pre-test. The groups will be

based on which components the students needed the most instruction. These groups are subject

to change as the lesson progresses and more student work is turned in and assessed. Also, the

reading level of each of the students will play a part in the groupings.

When partnering is needed, the partners will be formed from the small groups. If there

are uneven numbers within the various groups, the partners will be paired with students that are

close in reading and skill levels.

Information Presentation, Learner Participation, Media and Delivery Systems and Embedded Assessments:

The embedded assessments will cover numerous learning styles in order to address as

many learning types as possible and reach the largest population of learners. The assessments

will be: visual, on the Smartboard projections, handouts, color-coding, and teacher models; oral,

teacher talk throughs, “turn and talks”, student critiques; tactile, Smartboard interactives, cut and

match, independent writing practice. The embedded assessments and quick check tasks will


allow the students to work as a whole class, small group, in pairs, as well as give the students the

opportunity to work individually.

In addition, the embedded assessment will measure each of the enabling objectives and

tasks students need to know how to do in order to write an effective and complete open-ended

response. By taking each objective as a separate learning point, the students are able to “chunk

out” and prioritize their learning. They will not become overwhelmed by the entire response.

Instead, they will see how the process works and how each piece works together. This will allow

them to master one component before moving on to the next.

To aid the students in their overall understanding of how to answer an open-ended

question, the teachers have come up with an acronym that will be used throughout the grade.

This acronym will be broken down to match each of the enabling objectives. The acronym to be

used is R.A.C.E.S.

R=Restate

A=Answer

C=Cite evidence

E=Explain

S=Sentences and structure

Enabling Objective for Tasks 1-3:Given an open-ended response question, ELA students will be able to write a topic sentence that includes the following: complete restated topic sentence with “because statement” answer.


Mini-Lesson: How to write a Topic Sentence, Skim and Scan to find an answer, “Because” statement. RA=Restate and Answer

1. A short passage with an accompanying question will be projected onto the Smartboard and handed out to students. The passage and question will be read and the teacher will model skimming and scanning the text in order to find the answer. Then the teacher will model how to write an appropriate topic sentence that includes all components.

2. A passage with an accompanying question will be projected and handed out to the students. These passages/questions will include multiple topic sentences. Students will be asked to match the best topic sentence to the question it answers.

Independent Practice:

1. Quick check: Passages with accompanying questions will be handed out to the students. These passages/questions will include multiple topic sentences. Students will be asked to match the best topic sentence to the question it answers.

2. Mini-Assessment: A final passage with a question will be given to the students. Students will need to read the passage and question and write their own topic sentence that includes all components.

Feedback:

1. A checklist will be used for the quick check.2. A rubric will be used for the mini-assessment.

Enabling Objective for Tasks 4 - 6:Given a passage or text, ELA students will be able to skim and scan the passage in order to identify textual evidence that specifically supports and explains the answer given for an open-ended response question.

Given text evidence from a passage, ELA students will be able to choose whether they should paraphrase or directly cite the evidence in order to show support for their answer.

Mini-lesson: Text evidence, Text referencing. C=Cite Evidence1. A short passage with an accompanying question will be projected onto the

Smartboard. The passage and question will be read. The topic sentence will be provided for them. The teacher will model skimming and scanning the text in order


to find text evidence to support the answer. Then the teacher will model how to reference the passage when writing the text evidence.

2. Handout copies of, and project the passages, questions, and topic sentences created in the last portion of the lesson onto the Smartboard. Using Responseware the students will select which text evidence is the most supportive.

3. A passage with an accompanying question will be projected and handed out to the students. These passages/questions have topic sentences provided. Students will be asked to match the best text evidence with the topic sentence.

Independent Practice: 1. Quick check: Passages with accompanying questions will be handed out to the

students. These passages/questions will include the topic sentences. A list of possible text evidence will also be provided. Students will be asked to match the best text evidence to the corresponding topic sentence.

2. Quick check: Students will then pair off and explain their choices to their partners. If there is disagreement in the choice, a consensus must be met through the discussion.

3. Mini-Assessment: A final passage with a question will be given to the students. Students will need to read the passage and question and write their own topic sentence that includes all components.

Feedback:1. A checklist will be used for the quick check.2. A rubric will be used for the mini-assessment.

Enabling Objective for Task 7:Given information from a passage and prior knowledge, ELA students will be able to explain how the text evidence both supports and proves the answer given to the open-ended question.

Mini-lesson: Explain how text evidence supports answer. E=Explain1. Using the previous passage answers, teacher will model how to explain the text

evidence and how it supports the answer given.2. Passage, question, topic sentence and text evidence will be projected onto the

Smartboard. The teacher will then show multiple explanations. Students will be asked to decide which is the most supportive and informative explanation. Whole class discussion will follow in order to choose the correct explanation.


Independent Practice:1. Quick check: Using the previously written responses, students will write out their

explanations.2. Quick check: Students will share their responses and the class will critique.3. Mini-assessment: Students will choose one response to turn in for an assessment of its

explanation.

Feedback:1. A rubric will be used to for the mini-assessment.

Terminal Objective:After reading a pre-selected passage, English Language Arts students will write a structured response to an open-ended question that includes the following: a topic sentence; transition words; specific, supportive text evidence with references to where the evidence was attained; and fully elaborated reasoning and explanation of thinking that explains why they came to that answer and how the text evidence supports the answer they provided.

Mini-Lesson: Putting it all together. R.A.C.E.S.1. Teacher will model writing an entire open-ended response using the various

components from the previous passages and mini-lessons.

Independent Practice:1. Quick check: Students will be given a passage with an open-ended question. Students

will write their own open-ended response. Using the response, students will color code the different components to check and see that they have all components.

2. Quick check: Students will be given a passage with an open-ended question. Students will write their own open-ended response. Students will switch responses with their partners and color code the different components to check and see that they have all components.

Feedback1. Checklists will be used for the quick checks.

Instructional Goal: After reading a passage, 5th grade English Language Arts students will write a structured and effective response to an open-ended question, which will include specific, supportive text evidence, fully elaborated reasons and explanations of thinking.


Post Test:1. Two passages, each with two open-ended responses will be given to the students.

Student will need to read and answer the questions.

Feedback:1. A rubric will be used to assess the post-tests.

Post-Test:The post-test will assess whether or not the students grasped the concepts taught. The

post-test will also inform the teacher as to which students need further instruction and in which areas they need the instruction.

Lesson Evaluation SurveyThe lesson evaluation survey will be handed out to the students once the class has

received instruction in all aspects of the open-ended response structure. The results will be used when continuing with follow up activities. What worked well will be used again and what did not work well will be either refined according to the comments or redesigned to better suit the learners.

Follow-up Activities:Based on the post-tests, students will be put into new groups. The groups will be

arranged around the skills and components of open-ended response they still need work on. These groups will consist of:

Skimming and scanning to find the answer. Locating and referencing the most effective text-evidence. Fully explaining how the text evidence supports the answer given. Fluency of language within the response.

Students will be given a handout that outlines the acronym R.A.C.E.S.


Section IX: Formative EvaluationAt this point in the Instructional Design, the materials and instruction process need to be

evaluated for efficiency, effectiveness, clarity, and alignment to objectives. The evaluation

process will begin with the Subject Matter Expert. The SME will review the instruction and the

materials to be used on paper only. She will not view actual instruction. This cursory overview

of the materials and lessons will be helpful in that it will lend another set of eyes to the unit. The

SME is the expert in not only the content being taught but also the grade level being instructed.

Her thoughts and comments will be the perfect starting point for revising the instructional guide.

The next step in the evaluation process will be one-to-one trials. Students will be

selected from the group of students who participated in the needs assessment. A total of three

students will go through the process. The students will represent a cross section of the general

population that will later go through the instruction.

Finally, a small group will evaluate the process. The small group will consist of 8-12

students chosen again to represent a cross section of the general population. This final stage will

be a good demonstration of how well the materials and the instruction will go with a larger class

of students.

Subject Matter Expert (SME):Peg Zagorski was chosen as the SME for this project. She has 30 years of experience

teaching various content areas and grade levels throughout the middle and elementary schools.


She was also the Lead Teacher for numerous years. Her expertise in content area instruction, as

well as her knowledge of the grade level, made her a great choice for SME.

The SME was very impressed by the instructional guide and the work that had been put

into the instructional design. Knowing this was supposed to be a 45 minute lesson, she did say

that the instruction would take much longer than one 45 minute class. We discussed taking each

objective as a separate instructional period. This would make the instruction an 8 day mini-unit

rather than one single period of instruction. She added that additional time would have to be

added to the mini-unit towards the end because as this was so new to the students, putting it all

together would take time. We then discussed that, eventually, this would be used as an

introductory overview of the open-ended response practice and that additional work and lessons

would be given throughout the year as the students’ progressed with their writing abilities.

She did like the idea of the R.A.C.E.S. acronym and suggested making signs or posters

to be hung in the classrooms as reminders to students of the process and steps needed. We

thought that as we went through each section of the unit we could add another section to the

posters or signs in the rooms. This would then allow the other teachers to participate in the

learning by using what is being taught in their content area classrooms as well.

As for the materials used, she thought that they were on grade level and appropriate for

the students being taught. She did not feel that the materials would hinder the students’ learning.

One suggestion she did make for the materials was to provide an answer key for the teachers.


Learner EvaluationsOne-to-One Trials:

This part of the evaluation was conducted with three learners. The three students were

taken from the class of students that provided the data from the needs assessment. Of the three

students, one was a special education student, one was of average ability, and one was above

average. We felt that it was important to have a special education student in the evaluation

process as the school follows the inclusion method of instruction. CMT test results from the

previous year, the STAR and BAS reading assessments, as well as the December benchmark

data, were used as data points in choosing the students based on skills and ability. Each student

met with the ID for 45 minutes the first day to receive an overview of what they would be doing

and to take the pre-assessment. The students then continued to meet for about 30 minutes each

day over a 4 day span. In addition, only one passage was given for the pre-and post-tests. Due

to lack of time, we did not get to assess the Terminal Objective portion of the unit. We skipped

that portion and simply gave the post-assessment. We felt that as long as they had been

instructed in all of the components, they would be able to complete the terminal objective and,

therefore, felt it was important to have them assessed using the post-test.

The amount of work being asked of the students was an issue. Each felt that the activities

were too numerous and they felt rushed to complete the tasks. This will be corrected by breaking

the unit into 8 smaller mini-lessons rather than one long lesson.

Each student did say they liked the passages. When asked about the process of

instruction, each student indicated that the multiple choices really helped them to see how the

sentence should be written. One student indicated that she liked the modeling so she could see


what she was supposed to write before being asked to write it. “I like how you started out easy

and gave us an idea of what you wanted.”

All three indicated that their favorite part of the instruction was the interactive portions.

The Wallwisher.com sticky note activity really got them excited. “Playing on the Smartboard

was fun.” Thoughts of adding in or altering some of the lessons to incorporate the Wallwisher

program more often is of further consideration.

Small Group Trials:

For this portion of the evaluation, 9 students were chosen to participate. Again, we used

CMT test results from the previous year, the STAR and BAS reading assessments, as well as the

December benchmark data, as data points to choose the students participating. Teacher

comments and suggestions were also taken into consideration. The group assessed represented a

good cross section of the population that will be using the instruction.

The instructor used for the evaluation was Jessica Fisher. She offered to facilitate the

unit so the ID could observe and have the time and ability to make any notes needed for further

study.

Similar to the one-to-one trials, only one passage was given for both the pre-and post-

assessments. The terminal objective portion of the unit was also skipped due to time constraints.

For these trials, the small group met with the instructor and the ID over the span of two days.

The first meeting was held on a Friday and was broken up into 2 sessions. In the first session,

the pre-assessment was given. Then later that day, the results were shared and the Wallwisher

activity and the sharing of the results took place.


The students didn’t have any difficulty reading the pre-assessment. Most of the students,

with the exception of the special education students and the below average students, finished

faster than was expected. When we shared the results of the assessment, the students liked the

Wallwisher.com activity, although, making the connections to the objectives was not something

they were overly interested in. The interactive portion was the tie in for that portion. They did

however like seeing the scores and how the group ranked overall with writing open-ended

responses.

The following Monday, we met with the group again and completed all other portions of

the unit. Again, the length and the amount of work was an issue. The students found it very

daunting to undertake everything in one sitting: “This is taking too long.”; “Are we almost

finished?”; “Why do we have to keep using the same stories?”

Because we took all of the other activities together, the students did get tired of using the

same passages. When asked if they would mind if they re-used the passages the next day to

complete the next step how would they feel, they said that wouldn’t be as bad. The use of the

ResponseWare technology was enjoyed by the students. However, trying to explain to the

students how the technology worked did take time. This was also the teachers first time using

the equipment. One issue that would need to be addressed is teacher training in using the

response ware equipment.

The teacher did suggest the possibility of laminating the whole group practice sheets.

That way, students and teachers would be able to distinguish those handouts from the student

independent practice handouts. There was so much to do that things were getting confusing.


Overall, the testing of the materials was positive. There are certainly aspects of the

material and the delivery of the instruction that need to be addressed. The biggest issue being the

length of the instruction. There was simply too much material to cover in a straight 45 minute

lesson. However, by breaking each component into a separate section and tackling each at a

different time, the unit will work and the material will be addressed. It would probably be more

beneficial to separate the components into different lessons simply so the students can really

practice and master each section as this really seems to be a new concept for them. The chart

below breaks down each of the suggestions and how they will be addressed.

Revision Analysis ChartSource Issue or Suggestion Solution

SME Length of the instruction. Too long for a 45 minute lesson.

Break the unit up into smaller sections. Take each component as a separate lesson.

Indicate in the instructional guide.

SME R.A.C.E.S. -hang signs in the classrooms. Provide a handout to the students.

Hang signs in all the classrooms so all contents/areas are taking part in the learning.

SME Answer Key for the teachers Provide answer key in the instructional guide.

1-1 More interactive with Wallwisher.com

Consider how to incorporate more activities using the interactive program.

1-1 Too long Will be addressed by breaking the components down into separate lessons.

Small group Instructor So much to pass out, collect, redistribute

Laminate and color code so the instructor will know what materials go with which lesson simply by looking at the color.


Add a color coding into the instructional guide.

Small group Instructor Didn’t know how to use the ResponseWare technology

Offer PD opportunities or individual training on the use of Response Ware in the classroom.


Section X: Revision of Instructional Materials

Review:

After conducting the Formative Evaluation of the instructional design project, the SME,

ID, instructional teacher, and the students all made recommendations as to how the project could

be revised. A chart indicating the suggestions is located on the page above. Below is a

breakdown of the steps taken to address each of the suggested revisions.

Issue or Suggestion Solution

Length of the instruction; too long for a 45 minute lesson.

Break the unit up into smaller sections. Take each component as a separate lesson.

This has been indicated in the instructional guide on page 7.

R.A.C.E.S. - hang signs in the classrooms. Provide a handout to the students.

Signs have been made and distributed to all of the classrooms. Teachers have agreed to hang the signs and use the acronym language and components in their classroom instruction.

Answer Key for the teachers Answer keys have been added to each of the sections in the instructional guide.

More interactive with Wallwisher.com

Consideration has been given to the idea of adding more interactive activities using Wallwisher.com. Unfortunately, for the purpose of this instructional project, there is no room for it. However, suggestions for how to incorporate the interactive board for further instruction have been added to the guide. Pages 29-30, 40, 52

Too long Has been addressed by breaking the components down into separate lessons. This has been indicated in the instructional guide page 7.

Too much to pass out, collect, redistribute

Laminate and color code so the instructor will know what materials go with which lesson simply by looking at the color. The color coding and lamination will have to take place after the instructor prints out a master copy of the materials.


Unfamiliarity with how to use the ResponseWare technology

A request has been put in with the administration and the curriculum director who are in charge of planning and offering PD opportunities.

Individual training on the use of ResponseWare in the classroom has been emailed out to the fifth grade teachers to begin with as they utilize the instructional design materials.

In addition to the changes suggested during the evaluation stage of the design, the

Instructional Designer made other changes based on personal feedback and feedback from the

professor. Below is a list of those changes made to the design project.

1. Analysis of Learners and Context: In the Learners Performance Environment it indicated

that the room housed a SmartBoard that would be used for PowerPoint instruction. After

creating the materials for instruction, no PowerPoint will be utilized. Therefore, I have

removed the mention of PowerPoint instruction from this section.

2. Analysis of Needs and Goals: The original goal statement was written from the point of

view of the teacher and not the learner. Therefore, the goal statement was amended to

express the goal of the learner from the point of view of the target audience.

3. Task Analysis: In the original flow chart, the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ statements were in boxes. A

box in a flowchart indicates a process. As the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ are not processes, the boxes

were removed.

4. Performance Measurement: The original rubrics and checklists did not have a space to

input the names of the students. This was altered on both the rubrics and checklists. In

addition, a comment section was added to the mini-assessment rubrics.


5. Instructional Strategy: In the original strategy there was no mention of when or how the

students would take part in the lesson evaluation survey. The strategy and plans were

changed to indicate when during the instruction the students should complete the survey

and how the instructor should administer the survey.

6. Instructional Strategy: Originally the student groupings were to be made using both the

skills needed and the reading levels of the students. After going through the evaluations

of the materials and the unit, it was shown that all the materials that need to be read

independently are appropriate for all reading levels. Therefore, the ID has made the

decision to create the groupings based solely on the skills that need to be addressed. This

will allow for more flexible groupings.

Documents

Open-Ended Responses€¦ · Web viewMelissa Lopes. ILS 575 S70 Instructional Design. Spring 2012. Open-Ended Responses. Page2Melissa Lopes. Page2. ILS 575 S70 Instructional Design